Automatic cigarette lighter and dispenser



Dec. 12, 1939. E. w. ALLEN 2,152,955

AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND DISPENSER Filed D60. 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fug-1 2/ 55 P0 67 20 5a 29 P5 Fly-2 ,2 INVENTOR BY EVERETT W. flLLE/V TORNEY Fig-7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. W. ALLEN AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER AND DISPENSER llllllllllllllllll Dec. 12, 1939.

INVENTOR VETT w HLLEN WM ATTORNEY Fig-b Patented Dec. 12, 1939 PATENT rice AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE LIGHTER. .AND DISPENSER Everett W. Allen, Bridgeport, Conn. Application December 15, 1937, Serial No. 179,831

8 Claims.

This invention'relates to new and useful improvements in dispensing or serving devices and has particular relation to an automatic cigarette lighter and dispenser.

The objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: r

Fig. '1 is a perspective view showing theimproved dispenser and lighter;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the device showing the same supporting a lighted cigarette in position to be picked up for use, the view being taken as though a side of the device had been removed;

Fig. 3. is a detailed sectional view showing the cigarette carrier or tray in position receiving a cigarette from a receptacle;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism, the upper. portion or top wall of the casing being removed;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the mounting of an agitator employed;

Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the suction connection in elevation; and

Fig, 7 is a detail sectional view taken as along the line 1 7 of Fig. 4.

Referring in detail tothe drawings, the present device is shown as including a base [0 and a casing or housing H projecting above the base and in its front wall provided with a slot or opening l2 through which a carrier may deliver a lighted cigarette as will appear. Within the casing H toward the front thereof is a receptacle 13, the upper end of which is normally closed by a cover 14 giving access to the receptacle where-' by it may be loaded with cigarettes I 5.

The lower wall It of said receptacle inclines, as shown,in Figs. 2, 3 and 5 toward a restricted throat portion H, one wall of which is formed by the wall E8 of the receptacle and the other wall of which is formed by a depending skirt-like portion [9 comprising a continuation of the bottom'wall' it. Obviously, cigarettes disposed in the receptacle it will tend to move toward the throat H and such throat is of a size whereby the cigarettes-may pass one at a time through itrtoward its, lower end.

The lower end of the throat H is in spaced relation to the inner or upper surface of the base l0 and the space between base ill and the lower end of the throat I! is equal to the thickness of a slidable carrier 20, which toward its forward end is provided with a groove 2! of a size to, receive a cigarette as shown. In one of its positions, as will later more fully appear the carrier 2B is so located that a cigarette may move from the throat I? into the groove 2i (Fig. 3), and in another position, the slide is so disposed (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4) that its forward portion containing the groove 2|, is projecting through the opening or slot i2 to dispose the cigarette at the outer side of the casing. This forward or grooved portion of the slide is bifurcated whereby a recess 22 is formed so that a cigarette may be easily removed from the carrier by grasping the intermediate portion of the cigarette.

A small electric motor 33 is supported within the casing or housing H as by means of a strap or band 24, one end 25 of which may be secured to the rear wall 26 of receptacle l3 and an end 21 of which may be secured to the bottom wall of such receptacle. In addition, a leg-like portion 28 may be lanced from said strap 25 and carried down and secured to the base at 29. It is noted that motor 23 is supported in spaced relation to the base I!) and the shaft 38 of said motor projects into a fan housing 3i and therein carries the blades 32 of a suction fan. Thus, the blades 32 are driven at the speed of the motor 23.

Through reduction gearing generally designated 33 the motor 23 drives a cam shaft 34 supported above the base as by bearing member 35. On the motor shaft 36 is a bushing 36 within which such shaft turns and on the cam shaft 34 is a similar bushing 31 turnable relative to said cam shaft. Bushing 36 carries a small gear 38' and a large gear 39, while bushing 31 carries a small gear 40 and a large gear 2!.

Fixed to the motor shaft is a small gear d2 meshing with and driving the large gear 4! of bushing 31 whereby the small gear 49 of said bushing is also driven. Such small gear 20 meshes with and drives large gear 39 of bushing 36 whereby the small gear 38 of such bushing is driven and the latter meshes with and drives a large gear 43 secured to the cam shaft 34!. With this arrangement it will be apparent that the shaft has a slow movement as compared with that of the motor shafttfi and further it is to be understood thatthe gearv reductionis accomplished without the use of jack shafts or the like.

On the cam shaft 34 is a cam 44 including a low portion 45, a cam surface 46 and a higher cam surface 4'! terminating in an end 48. This cam cooperates with a metal arm 49 secured to the carrier 2&- at 55. Fig. 2 shows the relation of the cam to the arm at the end of one cycle of the machines operation. There the cam has its highest portion 48 in engagement with the arm whereby the carrier 20 is in its foremost position with its bifurcated portion projecting through the front wall of the housing H so as to present a lighted cigarette 5| for use.

The next time the machine is to be operated the motor 23 is energized (in a manner to be described) and driving the cam shaft 34 moves the cam in the direction indicated by the arrow 52 (Fig. 2). As the high point of the cam moves downward away from the arm 43, a coil spring 53 anchored at one end to a pin 54 and at its other end to the slide 28 retracts such slide to the position of Fig. 3. The low portion 45 of the cam permitting of this movement.

In its retracted position the tray receives the cigarette from the throat i7 and as the cam continues to rotate its surface 54a engages the arm 49 and begins to move the slide forwardly and at the time that the surface 46 of the cam comes against the arm 45 the cigarette being carried by the slide is opposite an igniter 55 (later to be described). The cigarette remains in this position for that period of time required for movement of cam surface 46 past the arm and during such period of time the cigarette is ignited. Movement of the cam continuing in the same direction, cam portion 47 comes into engagement with the arm forcing it and the carrier forwardly so as to dispose the latter in the position of Fig. 2 by the time cam surface 48 again engages the arm. This completes a cycle of the machines operation and at this time the motor is deenergized as will later be described.

A lead-in wire 56 from any suitable source enters the casing II and connects with a pushthrough type of switch 51 having a push button 58 projecting through the upper wall of the casing and by means of which the circuit to the motor 23 may be closed. Secured to the cam 44 is a dog 59 arranged in alignment with the button 58a of switch 5'! and the arrangement is such that as the cam 44 completes one revolution, the dog 59 is caused to act on the push button 580, to open the switch 57 thereby deenergizing motor 23. Obviously with this arrangement to start the machine it is simply necessary to depress the push button 58 to close the switch 51 and when the machine has completed a cycle of operation dog 59 operating on push button 581]. opens the switch.

Within the lower portion of the receptacle i3 is an agitator means comprising a plate-like part 6!! to which a wire 6| is connected and the said wire passes out through an opening 52 in the rear wall 26 of receptacle i3 and projects over into the path of movement of a series of pins 63 carried by cam 44. Obviously, with this arrangement for each revolution of the cam 44 the platelike part 68 will be flapped up and down as suggested. by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 so as to agitate the cigarettes in the receptacle I3 and prevent them from becoming packed therein in such manner that they do not feed into the throat IT. This movement of the agitator tends to throw the cigarettes into a column or row along the front wall [8 of the receptacle and it is from this column that the cigarettes feed into the throat l1. Preferably, plate-like part 60 includes a depending portion Gila whereby when such part is in an upper position as in the dotted line position of Fig. 2 a cigarette may not move laterally and lodge under the part.

The suction fan which I have generally designated 64 applies a suction to a tube 85 having a bell mouth 66 positioned to be opposite an end of a cigarette when the carrier 20 is supporting the latter in position to be ignited.

The igniter 55 is carried by a strap-like arm 6! pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 68 and having a portion 69 bent about a part of the lighter and secured by a screw 10 so as to clamp the lighter. The rear end portion of arm 6'! is bent to extend upwardly as at 10 whereby to be engaged by a cam H on the shaft 34. A spring 72 is anchored by a pin 13 at one end and the other end of said spring is secured to the rear portion of the arm 6'! at 14. Thus, coil spring 12 keeps the arm 61 in engagement with the cam H. Obviously, as the cam rotates it will rock the arm 6'! about its pivot 68 whereby to swing the igniter 55 inwardly toward a cigarette in the carrier when the carrier is in its second or cigarette-igniting position. As shaft 34 continues to rotate and the high part of cam ll passes beyond 6'! spring 12 will rock such arm in the opposite direction to carry the igniter away from a cigarette with which it has been in engagement.

Energizing of the igniter is controlled by switch 51 from which wires 15 lead to the igniter while the lead to the motor 23 is shown at 16.

Assuming that receptacle l3 contains cigarettes in order for the operator to obtain an ignited cigarette from the device it is but necessary that he push the switch button 58 to close the switch 51. This results in the button 58c being moved from the full to the dotted line position of Fig. 2. Switch 5'! being closed, motor 23 is energized and operates the suction fan 64 applying a suction to the tube and closing of the switch a so ener izes the igniter 55.

Through the gearing 33 motor 23 drives the shaft 34 and on initial movement of the latter the igniter is not shifted but remains in its inoperative position. However, during such initial movement cam 44 moves so that its high surface 48 is carried below arm 49 and spring 53 moves slide 2! from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3. Then the lowermost c garette in throat I! drops into the groove 2| of the carrier 2E1; thereafter cam 44 proceeds to move the carrier 2!] forwardly so as to dispose the cigarette in the position of the dotted-line cigarette 11 of Fig. 4.

At this time surface 46 of cam 44 is in engagement with arm 49 so that the cigarette stays in this second position for a given length of time. While the cigarette is in such position, cam H engages portion 10 of arm 61 to rock such arm on pivot 58 whereby to carry the igniter 55 against one end of the cigarette and by so doing force the other end of the cigarette against the mouth 66 of tube 65. At this time the igniter is energized and engaging one end of the cigarette and as a suction is being applied to the other end of the cigarette the latter is lighted.

Thereafter, shaft 34 continuing to turn in the same direction, cam ll moves to permit the spring 12 to shift the igniter away from the cigarette and immediately thereafter surface 41 of the cam 44 begins its engagement with arm 49 shifting the carrier 20 again forwardly as to the position of Figs. 1, 2 and 4 wherein the lighted cigarette is exposed for easy removal from the carrier.

While the carrier is in this forward position dog 59 engages the push button 584! of the switch 5'! forcing such button upwardly from the dotted to the full line position thereby opening switch 57 and deenergizing the motor 23 and the igniter 55. Thus, the machine is stopped with the lighted cigarette at the outer side of the machine.

In connection with movement of the carrier 20 attention is directed to the fact that when this carrier moves forward from the position of Fig. 3 its upper surface serves as a means for closing the lower end of the throat I! whereby the feeding of a second cigarette from the receptacle It is prevented while the carrieris in a forward position or in fact at any time before the clgarette first fed has been removed from the receptacle.

Hav n thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a base, a hou ing over the base, said housing having an opening in a wall thereof, means forming a cigarette receptacle within the hou ing and having an opening for movement of cigarettes therefrom toward the base, a movable carrier within the housing below said means and supported for movement by, said base, an igniter means within said housing and disposed along the path of movement of said carrier, means mounting said igniter for movement toward the path of movement of the carrier, spring means for movin said carrier into position to receive a cigarette from the receptacle, cam means for moving said carrier from a cigarette receiving position to a second position supporting a cigarette for engagement by said igniter, cam means for moving said igniter into engagement with a cigarette supported by the carrier when the latter is in said second position, said first cam means then operable to move the carrier to a third position projecting through said opening in the housing wall and supporting the cigarette at the outer side of said housing for removal by a user, a motor mounted to form a portable unit with the base and housing and connected to operate both of said cam. means, means for starting said motor, and means for automatically stopping the motor when the first mentioned cam means has moved the carrier to the last mentioned position.

2. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing over said base, said housing having an opening in a wall thereof, a cigarette receptacle having an opening therein for movement of cigarettes therefrom, means supporting said receptacle within the housing, a carrier within said housing and movable to and from a position projecting through said opening in the housing wall, an igniter supported within the housing along the path of movement of the carrier, means for moving said carrier from a position receiving a cigarette from said receptacle to a position presenting the cigarette to said igniter for ignition thereby, said means after the cigarette has been presented to the igniter operable to move the carrier to pass the cigarette receiving portion thereof through said opening in the housing wall to locate said carrier portion at the outer side of the housing to expose the cigarette for removal by auser, a motor supported within said housing and connected to operate said means, means for starting said motor, and means for automatically stopping the motor when said means has moved the carrier to the last mentioned position.

3. In a device of the character described, a cigarette receptacle having an opening therein for movement of cigarettes therefrom, an igniter, a carrier for receiving a cigarette from said receptacle and presenting it to said igniter, means mounting said carrier for movement along a predetermined path, means mounting said igniter for movement toward the path of movement of said carrier for engagement with a cigarette supported by the carrier, a motor, a fan on the shaft of said motor, a tube to which said fan applies a suction and having an end along the path of movement of said carrier and at the side of said path opposite that at which said igniter is located, a cam shaft, speed-reducing gearing between said motor and said cam shaft whereby the motor drives the cam shaft at a low speed, and cam means on said cam shaft for operating said carrier along said path and for moving said igniter against an end of a cigarette supported by the carrier whereby to force the opposite end of the cigarette into operative relation with said tube.

4. In a device of the character described, a base, a cigarette receptacle, means supporting the receptacle above the base, said receptacle having an opening therein for movement of cigarettes therefrom toward the base, a carrier, means slidably mounting said carrier below the receptacle whereby the carrier may receive cigarettes from the receptacle, an igniter supported by said base and located along the path of movement of said carrier, a motor supported by said base, means operated by said motor for moving said carrier from a position receiving a cigarette from said receptacle to a position presenting the cigarette to said igniter, a fan connected with said motor, a tube connected with said fan to have a suction applied to the tube, said tube having an end arranged opposite an end presented to said igniter, means mounting said igniter for movement, means for moving said igniter against an end of a cigarette when one is presented thereto to thereby bring the other end of the cigarette into operative relation with the mentioned end of the suction tube, a housing on said base and enclosing all of said parts, said housing having an opening in a wall thereof, and said first means operable after the cigarette has been presented to the igniter to move the carrier to a position projecting through said opening in the wall of the housing to expose the cigarette for removal from the carrier by a user.

5. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing over said base, said housing having an opening in a wall thereof, a cigarette receptacle supported within said housing and having an opening for the movement of cigarettes therefrom, a slidable carrier supported by said base within the housing, an igniter means within the housing and supported by the base and located along the path of movement of said carrier, spring means located within said housing and operable to slide the carrier into position to receive a cigarette from said receptacle, operating means for sliding said carrier from a cigarette receiving position to a position to have the cigarette engaged by said igniter and to retain the carrier in such position while the cigarette is being ignited, said means operable thereafter to slide the carrier to a position projecting through said opening in the wall of the housing to present the cigarette for removal from the carrier by a user, a motor supported on said base and connected to drive said operating means, means for starting said motor, and automatic means for stopping the motor when the operating means has moved the carrier to a position exposing the cigarette at the outer side of the housing.

6. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing over said base, said housing having an opening in a wall thereof, a cigarette receptacle within said housing and supported by the base, said receptacle having an opening therein for movement of cigarettes therefrom, a movable carrier supported within the housing by the base, an igniter means supported within the housing and located along the path of movement of said carrier, means or moving said carrier from a cigarette receiving position to a position to have a cigarette carried thereby engaged by said igniter and to retain the carrier in such position while the cigarette is being ignited, means thereafter operable to move the carrier to a position projecting through said opening in the wall of the housing to present the cigarette carried by the carrier for removal therefrom by a user, a motor supported by said base and connected to drive said means, a switch associated with said baseand housing and controlling said motor, means operated by the motor for opening the switch when the motor has moved the carrier to the outer side of said housing, and spring means in said housing and connected to said carrier to return the carrier to its cigarette receiving position on said switch being again closed.

7. In a device of the character described, a base, a housing over said base, said housing having an opening in a wall thereof, a cigarette receptacle within said housing and having an opening therein for movement of cigarettes therefrom, a slidable carrier within said housing and supported by said base, said carrier having a groove therein to receive a cigarette from said receptacle and support said cigarette until manually removed from the carrier, an igniter means supported by said base within said housing and l0- cated along the path of movement of said carrier, operating means within said housing for moving said carrier from a position receiving a cigarette from said receptacle to a position presenting an end of the cigarette to said igniter means and for temporarily retaining the carrier in such position, and thereafter operable to move the carrier partly through said opening in the housing wall to dispose the grooved portion of the carrier at the outer side of the housing to have the carrier support the cigarette at the outer side of the housing in position for manual removal by a user, a motor for driving said operating means, said motor supported as a unit with said base and housing, means to start said motor, and means for automatically stopping the motor when the operating means has moved the carrierto the last described position.

In a device of the character described, a base, a housing on said base and having an opening in the front wall thereof, a cigarette recep'acle in said housing, means supporting said receptacle above said base, said receptacle having an outlet for the feeding of cigarettes in horizontal positions toward the base, a carrier within the housing and slidable on the base below said outlet and aligned with said opening, an igniter in said housing at one side of the path of movement of the carrier, means pivotally mounting said igniter, suction means in said housing at the other side of the path of movement of the carrier and in alignment with said igniter, a motor in said housing, said carrier having three stationary positions in one of which it is located to recei e a cigarette from said receptacle, in the send of which it aligns a cigarette with said suction means to have the latter apply a suction to one end of the cigarette, and in the third of which it projects through said opening in the housing wall and supports the cigarette at the outer side of the housing, means operated by said motor for moving said carrier from the first through to the second and third of said stationary positions, means operated by the motor in timed relation with said carrier to rock said igniter about its pivotal mounting to bring the igniter into en agement with an end of the cigarette While supported by the carrier when the latter is in the second of said positions whereby to ignite the cigarette, and said means thereafter operable to move the igniter away from the cigarette to permit of movement of the cigarette with the carrier as the latter moves to the said third position.

EVERETT W. ALLEN. 

